This invention relates to an intonation aid for instruments of the violin family and, more particularly, to an aid which may be easily attached to and detached from the fingerboard of an instrument, such as a violin.
When playing an instrument of the violin family of the type played with a bow such as a violin, viola, cello or the like, different notes result from engaging the strings against different parts of the fingerboard. Proper placement of the strings against the fingerboard is necessary to achieve correct string or chord length and thus produce notes of proper pitch. Finger placement particularly by unskilled musicians may be improper. An aid for placement of fingers is thus desirable.
Bonner, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,795,825, discloses an aid identified as a fretting attachment for stringed instruments. The device of Bonner comprises a foundation strip which fits over the fingerboard. Spaced fretting strips on the foundation strip are transverse or perpendicular to the strings. This arrangement provides a guide for placement of the fingers on the strings against the fingerboard.
A device of the type disclosed by Bonner has not been commercially practiced to the knowledge of applicant, possibly because of the complex construction of the frets or perhaps because the geometry and construction of the fretting strips was not satisfactory. Moreover, it is likely that the Bonner device did not provide notes of proper pitch for all strings because the scale positions for each string are shown by Bonner to be on the same line transverse to the strings. Applicant made the development of the present invention as a device which overcomes such disadvantages.